I don't really agree with the explanations posted here, but as someone who has done rankings before and had to defend them, you aren't ever going to please everyone. Plus, there are a ton of what I'd call "self-contradictions" (inconsistencies; etc.; call it what you want) in ANY ranking system because you can't reconcile EVERY single instance of something that isn't straight forward. To put it simply, it is very imprecise and there will always be a consistency question especially by those who have a rooting in interest in a team that isn't as high as those folks want. Not to mention the fact that everyone weighs quality factors (i.e. head-to-head, better series record, SOS, etc.) differently. There is no one resume formula that everyone agrees on.

The thing is, that ranking systems, however they are designed and implemented, are meant to be used AFTER all the games have been played. Preseason and in season rankings are only done for fan interest and nothing more since the rankings mean absolutely nothing. They can change overnight and they are usually biased in favor of traditionally strong teams. Does anyone really think, in football, that a 7-0 MAC team is going to be ahead of a 7-0 Alabama team in the initial rankings, even if that MAC team had a better SOS and better wins at the time? I think last year's final rankings proves that false. Baseball is a little more egalitarian, but how many really think Tenn Tech or E. Carolina have a shot at a pre-season or mid-season ranking OVER an SEC team with a similar resume?

I agree for the most part and think it is a lot better than it used to be. The problem becomes when the committee sees tu ranked when they should not be based on rpi. Generally they get it right but there becomes a bias for regional hosting and seeding imho. Baseball and softball are probably affected by it more than any other sports.

Edited to add that if the eight best teams are n the same conference, they should all be national seeds. There is a tendency to want to avoid that and personally I think it stinks.

Luke The Drifter said:

---

Look, D1Baseball...just like every other publication...is simply looking for more followers, readers, etc. The more followers they get, the more revenue they make. It's not a tough concept...they're pandering for clickbait, just like everyone else. The only poll out there not begging for more attention is the coaches poll. The coaches don't stand to gain or lose anything by ranking the Longhorns high or low. They won't put a team like Tennessee Tech in the rankings unless they truly believe they deserve to be in there. They won't be swayed by a single weekend result and they're smart enough to know the mid-week games are important as well. Having a good mid-week record is huge when it comes to selection day...maybe not as important as the weekends, but certainly not to be dismissed as if they don't even matter.

I appreciate Kendall coming on here, but at the end of they day D1Baseball is simply looking for shock value and putting out a poll that creates conversation/controversy. They don't care if they're actually ranking the best 25 teams in the country...they care about attracting readers and subscribers. Period.

---

Tennessee Tech is number 24 in the coaches poll

Which is fine...but I assure you the coaches don't have them there simply for shock value to sell subscriptions.

Luke The Drifter said:

---

Which is fine...but I assure you the coaches don't have them there simply for shock value to sell subscriptions.

---

I think everyone is just overreacting because A&M isn't ranked, the coaches poll and D1 are almost exactly alike except for A&M.

And like Kendall said, they are projecting us to lose to Arkansas this weekend, if we win that series we will jump right back to where we were.

Collegiate Baseball

http://baseballnews.com/collegiate-baseball-div-1-poll-5-7-18/

1. Stanford
2. Florida
3. North Carolina
4. Oregon State
5. Clemson
6. Arkansas
7. North Carolina State
8. UCLA
9. Georgia
10. Duke
----------------------------
11. South Carolina
12. Ole Miss
16. Texas
20. Houston (seriously???)
23. Texas A&M
24. Auburn

Dropped out: Vanderbilt

HoustonAg2106 said:

---

Luke The Drifter said:

---

Which is fine...but I assure you the coaches don't have them there simply for shock value to sell subscriptions.

---

I think everyone is just overreacting because A&M isn't ranked, the coaches poll and D1 are almost exactly alike except for A&M.

And like Kendall said, they are projecting us to lose to Arkansas this weekend, if we win that series we will jump right back to where we were.

---

Bingo.

Kendall Rogers said:

---

Luke The Drifter said:

---

Which is fine...but I assure you the coaches don't have them there simply for shock value to sell subscriptions.

---

Our goal there definitely was to tap into that lucrative Tennessee Tech subscription market.

---

CoachLB said:

---

I am not over-reacting to A&M being unranked. It will all play out. I just do not understand if the rankings are a weekly thing why would you project wins or losses for future games? Next Sunday we will know the outcome of that weekend's series. You know after the players have actually determined the outcome of the games on the field. I guess this is just the coach in me but l do not think anyone should assume a win or loss before the players decide it.

---

We base our rankings on the present. I was just responding to the previous poster that if A&M took the Arkansas series, that would obviously be a statement-maker and would get A&M back in all likelihood. On that same note, we do "project" in our projections.

CoachLB said:

---

I am not over-reacting to A&M being unranked. It will all play out. I just do not understand if the rankings are a weekly thing why would you project wins or losses for future games? Next Sunday we will know the outcome of that weekend's series. You know after the players have actually determined the outcome of the games on the field. I guess this is just the coach in me but l do not think anyone should assume a win or loss before the players decide it.

---

That was just my way of saying that if we beat Arkansas we'll be back in the rankings.

We're 6-5 over our last 11 games, it shouldn't be a shock that we have dropped a bit in the rankings

Kendall Rogers said:

---

CoachLB said:

---

I am not over-reacting to A&M being unranked. It will all play out. I just do not understand if the rankings are a weekly thing why would you project wins or losses for future games? Next Sunday we will know the outcome of that weekend's series. You know after the players have actually determined the outcome of the games on the field. I guess this is just the coach in me but l do not think anyone should assume a win or loss before the players decide it.

---

We base our rankings on the present. I was just responding to the previous poster that if A&M took the Arkansas series, that would obviously be a statement-maker and would get A&M back in all likelihood. On that same note, we do "project" in our projections.

---

The only time it's OK to be projecting.

Ok time to let Kendall do the weekly chat

I understand. But my point is I guess unless a Texas Tech or texas plays Florida, A&M, LSU, Ole Miss etc weekend after weekend and faces that kind of grind we really can only project how they would fare over the long haul. Not trying to argue any point about polls etc. Just saying some folks do not take in to account that some conferences are a weekend after weekend grind and some are not. Kind of like sayng an undefeated 2a football team is better than an 8-2 Allen team. .Who you play week after week has to come into play. Just my opinion

I think the main gripe we have is that a couple of SEC teams with seemingly similar resumes to ours are ranked way ahead of us (i.e. Auburn, Ole Miss, Arkansas). And that a really good team in Georgia is not ranked high enough. Throw in the South Carolina non ranked and it seems the poll is messed it pretty bad.

Try this scenario:

We take 2 of 3 from 7th ranked Arkansas.

Our record would be 14-13 (36-15) rpi about 12 or 13
Arkansas record would 15-12 (34-16) rpi about 10 or 11

And even then we'd be ranked 20th and Arkansas would be ranked 10th

It just doesn't make sense for us to not be ranked at this point.

sellthefarm said:

---

I think the main gripe we have is that a couple of SEC teams with seemingly similar resumes to ours are ranked way ahead of us (i.e. Auburn, Ole Miss, Arkansas). And that a really good team in Georgia is not ranked high enough. Throw in the South Carolina non ranked and it seems the poll is messed it pretty bad.

Try this scenario:

We take 2 of 3 from 7th ranked Arkansas.

Our record would be 14-13 (36-15) rpi about 12 or 13
Arkansas record would 15-12 (34-16) rpi about 10 or 11

And even then we'd be ranked 20th and Arkansas would be ranked 10th

It just doesn't make sense for us to not be ranked at this point.

---

Arkansas is 11-4 against the top 25 and we are 5-8

In your scenario Arkansas would then be 12-6 against the top 25 and we would be 7-9...

threeanout said:

---

W said:

---

I appreciate Kendall coming on this thread.

I think the pollsters are continuing to have a tough time evaluating / accepting how good the 14-team SEC is this year.

starting at the bottom...the worst team Alabama (24-25) is RPI #82.

the second worst team RPI-wise is #64 Tennessee (27-23). But the Vols have 2 quality series wins over A&M and UK. Plus single wins against. UF, Ole Miss, and Georgia.

then the other 12 teams are all in the top 50 and each has multiple quality series wins & individual wins both in and out of conference

---

D1 has become a pay for view site. As they have trended this way, their rankings seem to take on a much wider diversity of teams. Meaning, everyone outside the SEC hates the SEC, therefore to please the rest of the college baseball world they drop in some undeserving teams. Hate to say it because I respect Kendall, but their subscription $$$ have tainted their rankings.

---

The coaches poll and D1's poll are very similar in every way except the one that YOU want

Luke The Drifter said:

---

Look, D1Baseball...just like every other publication...is simply looking for more followers, readers, etc. The more followers they get, the more revenue they make. It's not a tough concept...they're pandering for clickbait, just like everyone else. The only poll out there not begging for more attention is the coaches poll. The coaches don't stand to gain or lose anything by ranking the Longhorns high or low. They won't put a team like Tennessee Tech in the rankings unless they truly believe they deserve to be in there. They won't be swayed by a single weekend result and they're smart enough to know the mid-week games are important as well. Having a good mid-week record is huge when it comes to selection day...maybe not as important as the weekends, but certainly not to be dismissed as if they don't even matter.

I appreciate Kendall coming on here, but at the end of they day D1Baseball is simply looking for shock value and putting out a poll that creates conversation/controversy. They don't care if they're actually ranking the best 25 teams in the country...they care about attracting readers and subscribers. Period.

---

Doesn't seem like you appreciate him that much, given that you're blatantly questioning the integrity of his work, essentially calling him a prostitute.